Main Course
8665 recipes found
Hoisin Garlic Noodles
Fans of garlic noodles and soy sauce noodles rejoice: Here is a new, weeknight-friendly noodle dish for your repertoire. A staple Cantonese ingredient, thick and fragrant hoisin sauce is often used as a glaze for meat, but also serves as a robust, sweet and salty seasoning for these noodles. The garlic is bloomed briefly in oil, which tames its pungency and unlocks a rich, nutty flavor. Allow the noodles to cook undisturbed for a few minutes to crisp underneath, adding texture and a hint of smokiness. This recipe calls for dried wheat or egg noodles, but if you don’t have Asian-style noodles on hand, you could substitute with spaghetti or linguine. Bulk up the noodles with tofu, eggs or whatever vegetables you have on hand; these noodles welcome toppings.
Chicken Florentine
In this weeknight recipe, perfectly browned chicken breasts are smothered in a creamy spinach sauce that comes together with ease, all in one skillet. The highlight of this recipe is the buttery white-wine sauce, which is enriched and thickened with a secret ingredient: cream cheese. The sauce nicely coats the wilted spinach, though you can use sun-dried tomatoes, sautéed mushrooms or canned artichokes instead of, or in addition to, the spinach. A side of mashed or roasted potatoes would round out this dish well, but some crusty bread to sop up every last bit is a must.
Pasta With Green Bean Ragù
This spoonable pasta, the result of smart home cooking, is a dance of sorts between two pots: Fresh green beans boil with the pasta in one pot to season the water with their gentle vegetal umami, while the quick sausage ragù simmers in another. That green-bean broth gets incorporated into the final dish, a rich, melting mix of Italian sausage, fennel seeds and crushed red pepper. A squeeze of lemon and a generous grating of Parmesan bring it all together.
Roasted Carrots With Whipped Tahini
For a spectacular vegetable side at home, try this tried-and-true formula: A swoosh of sauce on a plate topped with a cooked vegetable and a confetti of finely chopped garnish. For this iteration, blend the base (a cloud of yogurt, tahini, citrus and garlic) and chop your garnish (a pretty pile of pistachios, dill and chives) while the carrots roast. Set on a platter, served hot or at room temperature, it’s a special side dish that can also hold its own as a vegetarian main, supplemented with chickpeas, quinoa, couscous or toasted bread.
Gheysava (Eggs With Dates and Cinnamon)
A sweet and savory combination of rich dates and eggs, gheysava is an energizing breakfast dish popular in Tabriz, the capital of Iran’s East Azerbaijan Province. The dates are first soaked in hot water to soften, and then cooked in butter alongside walnuts until caramelized and luscious. Some variations cook the dates down until smooth and creamy and the eggs are then scrambled in, but here the dates retain their form and the eggs are simply cracked right into the pan. Juicy, meaty dates such as medjool dates are best here. Gheysava warms you from within and fills you with vitality and strength to take on the day. Serve with bread and a hot cup of tea.
Cheesy Baked Gnocchi With Spicy Tomato Sauce
A stellar weeknight meal starter, shelf-stable or refrigerated gnocchi is combined with a zippy tomato sauce to make this deeply comforting one-pot meal. Stir in as much crushed red pepper as your family and friends can handle, then top the whole thing with a blanket of melty mozzarella, umami-packed Parmesan and bright basil. If you keep Calabrian chile paste on hand, it makes a great substitute for the crushed red pepper, as does harissa.
Peppery Beef and Shishito Stir-Fry
This stir-fry is doubly peppery, thanks to a combination of shishito peppers and plenty of coarsely ground black pepper. Though most of the shishitos are mild, the occasional one packs a punch, adding a delightful unpredictability to any meal. The peppers are fried on high heat until they blister, bringing smoky depth and texture. Soy sauce and toasted sesame oil make a fine (and quick!) marinade for steak strips that are seared in the same wok. Ginger and garlic enhance an umami-rich sauce that makes the steak and peppers shine. Serve with white rice for a formidable weeknight meal in under 30 minutes.
Chickpeas all’Arrabbiata
A quick rummage through the pantry brings these saucy beans to life in this humble meal that leans on the power of a few dusty cans that may be lingering on your shelves. Let chickpeas swim in this fiery, garlic-heavy arrabbiata sauce built from canned tomatoes and they take on the vibes of the best slow-simmered red sauce classics in a fraction of the time. Slip a pan of no-stir creamy polenta into the oven before getting the beans started and it will be ready to catch every drop of sauce, but you could also toss the chickpeas with pasta or simply spoon them over toast.
Minorcan Clam Chowder
Though it shares similarities with mild-mannered Manhattan clam chowder, thick, briny, spicy Minorcan clam chowder gets its signature, fruity heat from datil peppers, and its Bolognese-like texture from a vegetable purée, plus a generous simmering time. Minorcans descend from indentured servants who, in the late 18th century, were recruited from around the Mediterranean, assembled on the Spanish island of Menorca and sent to Florida to farm indigo. Many Minorcan families still live near St. Augustine, Fla., and visitors to the Spanish-settled city can eat the chowder in a number of restaurants. However, the pinnacle of Minorcan clam chowder cooking is achieved just once a year at the St. Ambrose Spring Fair, for which Mary Ellen Masters — who is known as the “Queen of Minorcan Clam Chowder” — oversees the annual effort to prepare 180 concentrated, clammy gallons.
Chicken à la King
This regal midcentury favorite of tender poached chicken draped in a creamy sherry sauce is due for a revival. Think of chicken potpie filling without the crust, or the kind of banquet poultry served at weddings. Many hotel chefs in the 19th century, including George Greenwald of the Brighton Beach Hotel, claim to have invented chicken à la king, which has as many variations as there are cooks. This particular iteration of the retro dish comes from Craig Claiborne, adapted from a column he wrote for The New York Times in 1969. For the full effect, serve the comforting chicken with toast triangles, as they still do at nostalgic restaurants like Musso & Frank Grill in Los Angeles and Cecchi’s in New York City, or enjoy with rice, noodles or biscuits, whatever makes you happy. This dish reheats beautifully in the microwave or over low heat on the stove.
One Pot Za’atar Chicken and Rice
There’s something undeniably comforting about a dish that cooks all together, with the flavors mingling and intensifying as it simmers. Here, chicken thighs and basmati rice are infused with za’atar and golden onions, creating a deeply fragrant, savory one-pot meal. Browning the chicken skin until crisp is key: It lends richness to the whole pot and adds a bit of irresistible crunch. Don’t skip the butter at the end; those little dots melt into the rice, giving it a subtle, velvety finish. Serve this with a dollop of tangy yogurt, quick pickles and warm flatbread to scoop up every last bit.
Ham and Potato Soup
Cooked ham lends a surprising amount of flavor to this simple, hearty soup. Easy to put together using leftover ham or a ham steak, this recipe is perfect for a weeknight or a busy weekend.
Herby Asparagus Salad With Beets and Prosciutto
Asparagus is absolutely a symbol of spring, so what better way to celebrate the season than by centering them in a salad. A platter of green spears, bathed in a mustard-tinged vinaigrette, would be perfectly fine, but for something more celebratory, it’s nice to dress things up, with finely slivered raw beets, a shower of dill, parsley and mint leaves, and chopped (or quartered) soft-cooked egg. A few slices of prosciutto complete the colorful assembly. For the best flavor, look for the freshest firm, shiny asparagus available, whether pencil thin, medium or hefty.
Lamb Shoulder With Greens and Beans
Spring and lamb are synonymous, so in honor of the season, make this succulent lamb shoulder braised with white wine and aromatics. While the lamb is, of course, a showstopper, the real star is a mélange of greens (chard, kale or large spinach) and beans, punched up with rosemary, hot pepper and orange zest. Look for fresh favas, or substitute the peeled frozen variety (found at Middle Eastern grocery stores), frozen edamame, baby limas, green peas or a combination. An ideal dinner party main, every part of this dish can be prepared hours (or a day) ahead and reheated just before serving.
Greek Yogurt-Marinated Salmon
This weeknight-friendly recipe leans on Greek yogurt for a fish marinade that not only adds flavor, but also makes for salmon that’s even more tender than usual. The yogurt works on the salmon slowly, with less risk of “cooking” (or denaturing) the fish that citrus- or vinegar-based marinades pose, and acts as a protective crust, sealing in moisture as the salmon bakes. The marinade in this recipe calls for mostly pantry and fridge staples, along with grated fresh ginger and garlic, but feel free to use the yogurt as a starting point and add your own favorite spices and seasonings.
Broken Egg Salad
This dish has all the elements of a classic egg salad — eggs, mayonnaise and mustard — with one radical change: The cooked eggs are simply torn into deliciously irregular chunks of whites and yolks in a more laid-back approach. Egg salad recipes usually call for hard-boiled eggs, but since they stay largely intact here, this recipe calls for just-set yolks that are golden and jammy at their core. When cooking eggs, every second counts, so make sure you set a timer as soon as the eggs hit the water to avoid overcooking. Eat this egg salad as you would the classic: with bread as a sandwich or tartine, tossed with some chickpeas or grains, or served alongside roasted veggies.
Gnocchi Gratin
This speedy take on potato gratin uses store-bought potato gnocchi instead of sliced potatoes. Not only does the switch cut down on prep time, but the gnocchi get soft and luxurious as they warm in the heavy cream. A sprinkle of nutty Gruyere and salty Parmesan melts into the creamy sauce, which is also scented with garlic, sage and nutmeg — that is, except the layer of cheese on top, which browns and crisps. Serve this as a side to roasted cabbage, asparagus, chicken or another protein.
Beef Fried Rice
Fried rice is perfect for easy and fast weeknight cooking, as it is highly customizable and can be made with all sorts of veggies and protein. This beef version employs a traditional Chinese technique of velveting meat that quickly tenderizes tougher cuts. Simply mix the beef with cornstarch and oil (seasoned here with soy sauce) and let stand for 30 minutes (or even just 15 minutes, if that’s all you’ve got) before stir-frying until browned. Feel free to add more vegetables to this fried rice, like shredded cabbage or snow peas. Be sure to have all of your prep ready before cooking, as the process goes quickly.
Lentil Soup Potpie
Rescue lentil soup from austerity by simmering it underneath a flaky, buttery crust. All of the hallmarks of a good lentil soup are here — sweet carrots, celery and onions, tender lentils and savory broth — with the added bonus of a warm pastry crown that shatters with each spoonful. The recipe is fairly hands-off, too, thanks to two shortcuts: canned lentils and store-bought puff pastry. To make this vegan, use vegan puff pastry (like Pepperidge Farm) and skip the egg wash, which will result in a more matte, but just as delicious dish.
Slow-Roasted Lamb With Grapes
There’s something deeply satisfying about a slow-roasted lamb that requires minimal effort but delivers big reward. This version, rubbed with cumin, salt and a touch of sugar, falls effortlessly off the bone, its richness perfectly complemented by a sticky-sweet sauce of roasted grapes and bright lemon. The rub lightly cures the lamb, enhancing its flavor in just 30 minutes before roasting; the flavor develops further as the lamb roasts. After three hours of cooking, the heat is turned up and the grapes are added, caramelizing and releasing their juices, which commingle with the lamb juices in the pan, resulting in a glossy sauce that clings to the lamb. Pair it with crispy potatoes, a sharp green salad, or lean into the spiced undertones with fragrant rice. However you serve it, this slow-cooked lamb is the kind of dish that feels both special and effortless, perfect for gathering around the table.
Lemon Butter Salmon With Dill
Glossed with a tangy blend of honey and lemon, this salmon caramelizes around the edges while staying juicy and tender. Dill, lots of it, brings freshness, green as cut grass. Wild salmon works especially well here because the butter in the sauce gives the lean fish richness. (Fatty farmed salmon will simply taste even richer, not a bad thing at all.) Quick-pickled cucumbers and mustard seeds offer a cool, crunchy pop to this dish, but the salmon is also tasty on its own. Serve this with rice, potatoes or a tray of asparagus roasted alongside the salmon.
Miso Matzo Ball Soup
This is a delightful, comforting soup to start your Passover Seder (see Tip) or to serve any time of year. The matzo balls add a festive crosscultural touch to miso soup, a dish so beloved in Japan it’s consumed at almost every meal. Vary the vegetables and tofu as you wish, adding potatoes, onion, carrots, cabbage or really any thinly cut vegetable that you fancy. Fresh ginger and a bit of ichimi togarashi give the matzo balls some punch. Finish the soup with a sprinkle of Japanese shiso leaves, a member of the mint family. For a large crowd, you can prepare both the soup and the matzo balls ahead of time and heat them up separately, combining them just before serving.
Skillet Gnocchi With Miso Butter and Asparagus
This skillet gnocchi recipe has a spring in its step: It takes just 10 minutes to cook and is loaded with sweet springtime asparagus and baby greens. But that doesn’t mean the flavor is fleeting: The combination of miso, butter and vinegar forms a silky, rich sauce that glosses the seared gnocchi and vegetables and anything else you wish to add. Perhaps that’s the crunch of sliced radishes or toasted pistachios, or the crispness of a fried egg or seared fish.
Salmon With Radicchio and Anchovy Sauce
An edible bouquet of pinks and purples, this one-pan dinner for two serves up bitter and silky radicchio leaves against crispy-skinned salmon. Pan-roasting starts on the stove to give each a head start on caramelization, then finishes in the oven at a low temperature to cook through gently. The flavors are brought together by a sweet and punchy dressing of honey, mustard and anchovy, which is whisked up quickly as the oven does its thing and even allows for time to clean up. Substitute or mix in other bitter greens or chicories for the radicchio, like Treviso, Castelfranco or escarole. If you like, serve this with buttery mashed potatoes.